Let's Turn Native
"Only in the wild do we learn that civilization is crueller by far." Protagonists Zharvakko M38AV-DELTA (Prograde) Mats Kroos Gorvin Mead Guilford (Prime) Act One The Acolytes began this mission aboard a ship known as The Martyr's Judgement. Here, they met with Interrogator Saharael who briefed the group on the upcoming mission. The Inquisitor had been investigating a group known as The Violent Haze for a number of years now and had connected them to a massive criminal organization that had fingers in every form of heinous act whether it be slavery or political manipulation. The problem, however, is that the members of the group are at both incredibly skilled and very influential meaning that no evidence has been found directly linking them to the group. A breakthrough had been made though and the name of a fugitive who had contacted The Violent Haze in the Calixis Sector had been located on the death world Enkidu. The man they were looking for was Cardinal Lucius, a heretical priest with affiliations to The Temple Tendency. He was currently hiding in the jungles below, masquerading as a Confessor by the name of Gregor. He had manage to infiltrate the tribesman who lived on the planet but no further sightings of him had surfaced. The Interrogator tasked them to go to the surface and retrieve the Cardinal so that he may stand trial and provide further information on The Violent Haze. The group proceeded to land at the primary (and only) spaceport on the planet, a severed tree trunk that connected on to the branch city of the tribe that dwelled here. Upon landing they were greeted by the sole Guardsmen company stationed on the planet. They were also introduced to Zharvakko, the Inquisitors contact upon the planet who had first provided the location of Cardinal Lucius. Zharvakko informed them of a great meeting that was occurring at "The Center of the Planet", a large religious festival where all the tribes met to trade and discuss terms. Before heading out for this conclave, the group met up with the officer in charge, a Captain Dawson, who turned out to be an alcoholic mess of no use to anyone. While the others went to meet Zharvakko after their disastrous meeting with the captain, Gorvin met with Lieutenant Ainson, who provided some basic information on the planet and also confirmed Gorvin's understanding that the current captain was an incompetent with borderline heretical views. The group, now including the tribal shaman Zharvakko, traveled underground through a vast tunnel that carried on for miles ahead. Prograde inquired into the construction of such perfectly formed tunnels and was informed that the tribesman had inherited them from the previous race that dwelled here and that every shaman upon the planet lived within a tree connected to them. All further questions were met with strange riddles and silence. The journey took three days and they arrived within a glade surrounded by tree's miles tall. Zharvakko led the to a lift disguised beneath leaves and soon they were ascending, pulled up by a crude mechanism from above. After almost an hour they arrived at the top to see a vast leather floor had been attached to the grove, leaving the entire event suspended above the ground with nothing beneath. Act Two The group slit up with Zharvakko travelling to the Shaman's Tent while the others found themselves sequestered within the foreign quarters. Zharvakko was greeted by the others and soon learnt that a tribe known as the Udun had recently acquired an off-world adviser, a cleric by the name of Confessor Gregor. They also learnt that the tribes shaman had gone missing and was presumed to have been murdered under the orders of the Udun leader. The most troubling news came last however and Zharvakko was stunned to discover that the Udun tribe was gearing for war, an act the natives saw as grossly abhorrent and borderline blasphemous. The shamans were worried however that they would not be able to halt the attack if it came for the Udun tribe were receiving Imperial weapons as well as instruction from the Confessor in basic tactics. While Zharvakko sat with the shamans, the others of the group wandered around the market area, examining the goods displayed. Prograde me with Captain Belaard and learnt that smuggling on Enkidu was incredibly popular and that there were many spaceports on the planet that were not known to the Imperium. While Prograde learnt more of the smuggling operation, Gorvin and Guilford both met with one of the Guard who had traveled here as part of his shore leave. Talking to him they learnt that the Captain had sent him with a message which he thought was an alcohol list. They persuaded the man to give them the note and upon reading it they realized it was a warning to The Violent Haze that Inquisitorial Agents had arrived. After some deliberation the group met back up with Zharvakko and Prograde and proceeded to share the information they had acquired. They agreed that The Violent Haze member had to be silenced and captured before suspicion occurred. They proceeded to his tent, where he was working as an alcohol salesmen. He appeared to be a native but Gorvin Mead and Prograde both spotted the makeup and heard the tell tale accent of Juno. They pretended to work for The Violent Haze and learnt that Cardinal Lucius had spurned further help from them and that The Violent Haze was under standing orders to leave him alone. After a few minutes the cartel member began to grow suspicious of Gorvin Mead who was unable to answer some basic questions. Before warning could be yelled they group piled on him and beat him senseless before tying him up and gagging him. They then went and visited the Udun tribe and spoke to its leader. They questioned Confessor Gregor and realized that he was indeed their target. They continued their masquerade as members of The Violent Haze but their offers of rescue were refused with the Confessor stating that "The Emperor has provided the means to my salvation." The group left and decided that they would strike next morning. Act Three The following day they contacted ''The Martyr's Judgement ''and requested that in exactly on hour they fly over the conclave and pick up the group while they incapacitated the Confessor before rappelling up with him and the captured Violent Haze member. They proceeded to storm into the tent of the Udun tribe unarmed as all their weapons had been taken upon arrival at the conclave. Like them however so too were the Udun tribesmen lacking in weaponry. Conversation followed until Gorvin Mead, growing weary of the debate and realizing their time was running out, charged at the Chief, surprising everyone and leaving them stunned. While Gorvin grappled with the Chief, Prograde and Guilford fought with the Cardinal while Zharvakko used his psychic might to hold off the hordes of feral warriors. Gorvin Mead fought like never before but was unable to bring the Chief low, he was battered and weary but before the final blow could be struck, Prograde lifted his arm and fired a bolt of energy from his hand, sending the Chief hurling backwards, on fire and quite dead. The tribesmen were horrified and their fear turned into a rout as Zharvakko reached deep within himself and unleashed a torrent of green, verdant lighting into their midst, killing many and sending the others away in a panic. Eventually Prograde, Gorvin and Guilford managed to incapacitate the Cardinal and tie him up, just in time for the rescue which buzzed overhead. Looking up they saw that Mats was already aboard with their equipment and the cartel captive. Smiling they rappelled up and escaped before further vengeance could be meted out upon them. Upon return they imprisoned both the cartel member and the Cardinal before contacting Lieutenant Ainson and informing him of the Captain treachery. Without further ado the Captain was captured and summarily executed for his heresy and the band gained an ally in the newly reinstated Captain Ainson of the Enkidu Guard. Several weeks went by before Interrogator Saharael arrived to pick up the prisoner. He congratulated them on a job well done before granting them transport to the planet of their choice, promising further work in the near future.